‘Disapproved cricket’: Ian Healy-backed group to launch private Melbourne league, CV responds

Talented junior cricketers from across Victoria will be invited to nominate for an AFL-style draft and take part in the league in December.

Eight franchises are being set up ahead of the tournament in December.

It’s an expansion of Century Cricket Competitions – formerly the Australian Premier League – which began in Queensland two years ago and South Australia last year with senior and junior leagues.

Melbourne will start with male and female under-age teams.

The Century Cricket Group is a privately-owned company co-founded by healthcare businessman Stuart Giles, former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy and cricket commentator Mark Nicholas, as well as the founders of the Australian Cricket Institute, Nick Fitzpatrick and Joel Hamilton.

Test star Usman Khawaja, AFL great Luke Hodge, Darren Lehmann and Chris Lynn are part-owners of Queensland franchises.

Khawaja’s Test teammate Travis Head and AFL player Ryan Burton have a financial interest in South Australia.

Giles told CODE Sports the two competitions had been a success and gave players another chance to show their ability in T20 or 100-ball games.

He said the Century Cricket Group was excited to “be moving into another market, particularly one of the larger participant markets and talent nurseries in the country’’.

“It’s been really fascinating to watch it unfold in these early seasons of putting together private-franchise junior cricket tournaments elsewhere … the kids do seem to thrive in an environment where in some ways they get to break out of the mould of the junior pathways,’’ Giles said.

“You can play a lot of your junior cricket with the same teammates, playing the same role in the same format of games.

“But I think the opportunity to play with different teammates in a different system … there’s been really strong feedback about the freedom and the enjoyment perspective.’’

Key aspects of the tournament are being finalised but Giles said a first step would be asking players who wanted to take part to nominate and go into a pool, from which each team will take picks, similar to the AFL draft.

Giles said the system would ensure an even spread of talent and tighter matches.

He said the Century Cricket Group had kept Cricket Victoria informed of its plans, just as it did with state authorities in Queensland and South Australia.

“If you don’t, you’re running into headwinds you don’t need to,’’ Giles said.

“We’ve certainly been working closely with Cricket Victoria to make sure they understand what we’re doing.

“What I would say is we’re aligned in their view and our view that the more you do, the more you can win the heart-and-minds battle over summer for cricket. Getting kids to play cricket is the main game here.’’

But Cricket Victoria chief executive Nick Cummins said the state body had a “range of concerns’’ about the proposed competition.

He said a draft for amateurs, particularly involving children, wasn’t “an appropriate way to manage participation’’.

And he said the concept “runs in direct competition with our Premier pathway as well as VCCL and VMCU representative competitions’’.

“Rather than filling a gap in the schedule, the proposal shifts the money from club cricket to a private provider,’’ Cummins said.

“As it currently stands, this competition is not sanctioned by Cricket Victoria and would therefore be classed as disapproved cricket.

“It is not an alternative pathway to professional cricket and would be regarded as social cricket by Cricket Victoria’s Talent Pathway.”

Under 12, 14, 16 and possibly Under 18 competitions will be staged over four days during the December school holidays.

They will culminate with grand finals and consolation games.

The ownership and names of the franchises are being worked through.

Giles said he expected most of the Melbourne franchises would have new owners.

“We’ve actually had a lot of demand and interest from launch, from the moment we hung the shingle out in south-east Queensland a couple of years ago,’’ he said.

“We’ve had a core group of interested parties that were Melbourne-based and itching to get underway. That’s why we’ve decided to press go on the button. There was a starting level of interested we wanted to respond to at a franchise-owner level.’’

The Century Cricket Group said in a statement confirming the Melbourne venture: “Franchise owners will be able to create their own culture, pick and develop players how they want to and play the fast-moving style of cricket they watch around the world and want to play,’’

“The result is a fun, family-friendly festival-style event that can be enjoyed by all.

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“All players selected for a team will be able to emulate their heroes by playing with coloured clothing and white balls to a ground filled with enthusiastic and vested supporters. This will be a chance for them to make their mark in previously uncharted waters and to play with others they might usually compete against or have never crossed paths with before.’’

Giles said his organisation was pleased to “offer Victorian junior cricket lovers the same unique cricket experience we have already delivered to well over 1000 junior cricketers elsewhere in Australia”.

“As exhibited by our recently opened 24/7 Century Cricket Centre in Blackburn, innovation and enjoyment continues to be at the forefront of all we do at the Century Cricket Group as we look to focus on everything that is good for cricket, 100 per cent of the time.”